PBS 45 & 49 announced the local winners in the kindergarten, first, second and third grade categories of the Reading Rainbow 14th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest [see below for complete list of winners]. The winners were announced on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at two sites: the PBS 45 & 49/Summit Mall Family Expo in Akron and the Youngstown Book Fair at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

The four local grand prize winners received DVD players. Second place winners received art sets. Third place winners received $25 Borders gift cards. All winners, plus the honorable mention winners, received Reading Rainbow backpacks and DVDs. Grand prize and second and third place stories will be available to read on the PBS 45 & 49 Web site after April 18, 2008.

PBS 45 & 49’s grand prize submissions in each category will be entered into the national Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators competitions. The national grand prize winner in each grade level will receive a laptop computer. The second place winner in each grade level will receive a flat panel TV and DVD player. The third place winner in each grade level will receive an MP3 player. Plus, all national winners will receive three sets of 10 Reading Rainbow DVDs and feature books — one each for their school, community library and home. National grand prize winners will be announced in June 2008.

The Reading Rainbow 14th Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest encouraged children in kindergarten through grade three to submit their original stories and illustrations to PBS 45 & 49. Submissions were judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. More than 400 children submitted stories.

Reading Rainbow, hosted by actor LeVar Burton, is a critically acclaimed television series that encourages children ages 5 to 10 to read. It is the most-used television program in local K-3 classrooms. The Emmy Award-winning series airs weekdays at 10 a.m. on PBS 45 & 49.

 

Kindergarten Winners Grand Prize Name: Rosey Daley Story: "Posey Says 'Girls Are Too Allowed!" Parents: Park and Brenda Daley City: Salem School: Buckeye Elementary Second Place Name: Kourtney Kogut Story: "The Mysterious Seed" Parents: Russell and Lori Kogut City: Paris School: M.I. Elementary (in Minerva) Third Place Name: Emily Garside Story: "I Love Hawaii" Parents: Susan and Alan Garside City: Canal Fulton School: Northwest Local Honorable Mention Name: Kanney Wong Story: "Nini's Pet Store" Parents: Hsiao-Chi Hsu and Cheng Wong City: Kent School: Child Development Center at Kent State University	1st Grade Winners Grand Prize Name: Michael Daley Story: "Toad Boy Is Taking Out the Trash Bullies" Parents: Park and Brenda Daley City: Salem School: Buckeye Elementary Second Place Name: Ethan Ellis Story: "The Adventures of George and Wolfie" Parents: Randy and Ann Ellis City: Aurora School: Craddock Elementary Third Place Name: Haley McCauley Story: "Someone Is Living in My Brain" Parents: Stacey and Todd McCauley City: Akron School: Homeschooled Honorable Mention Name: Tyler Piontkowski Story: "The Purple Dolphin" Parents: Theresa and Douglas Piontkowski City: Kinsman School: Homeschooled
2nd Grade Winners Grand Prize Name: Eric Grantonic Story: "Nanny and the Kolachi Pot" Parents: Colleen and Matt Grantonic City: New Middletown School: Springfield Elementary Second Place (tie) Name: Noah Dunaj Story: "The Suppliosaurus" Parents: Debbie and Adam Dunaj City: Ravenna School: Willyard Elementary Second Place Name: Daniel Daley Story: "Cactus Flats: A Little Town in the Desert" Parents: Park and Brenda Daley City: Salem School: Buckeye Elementary Third Place Name: Reese Hawthorne Story: "Spring Senses" Parents: Shane and Cheri Hawthorne City: Hartville School: Homeschooled Honorable Mention Name: Maya McDonald Story: "Amber and Jack" Parents: Michelle and Dan McDonald City: Ashland School: Edison Elementary	3rd Grade Winners Grand Prize Name: Caitlyn Jarvis Story: "The Tree That Could Talk" Parents: Carolyn West-Jarvis City: Cuyahoga Falls School: King Elementary Second Place Name: Michelle Smyth Story: "Where Rain Goes" Parents: Denise and Edward Smyth City: Roswell, Georgia School: Sweet Apple Elementary Third Place Name: Gracie Durbin Story: "Sunshine" Parents: Neil and Margaret Durbin City: Stow School: Homeschooled

 

About Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow, the Emmy Award-winning PBS children’s series starring LeVar Burton, takes viewers on unforgettable learning adventures to nurture a lifelong love of reading. PBS 45 & 49 airs the show weekdays at 10 a.m.

About PBS 45 & 49
PBS 45 & 49 is owned and operated by Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation. A trusted community resource, PBS 45 & 49 uses the power of noncommercial television and related services to enrich the lives of people through high-quality programming and educational services that teach, illuminate and inspire. For more information about PBS 45 & 49, visit www.pbs4549.org or call 1-800-854-4549.